Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Do you this man?

EGS1217@xxxxxxx · Sun, 4 Mar 2012 22:23:25 -0500 (EST)

In a message dated 3/3/2012 5:52:30 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
stpat95@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:

About  Robin Williams who is not known as a good harmonica player like 
Bruce Willis  that I appreciate a lot (not only because he is american ;)))...), 
Oui, Patrice - Bruce Willis is actually quite a good player and IF I  
remember correctly might even have taken lessons from our own Robert Bonfiglio  
(but I'm not 100% sure if this is fact or rumor). As to Robin Williams - it's 
 just my own little joke about the (Guillaume) William/Robin name, and 
because I  think he's very humorous (and did a funny take on 'being french').

I can  not thing about Robin without thinking to "Le cercle des poètes 
disparus" (The  circle of missing poets ?) that his one of the best films I have 
ever seen I  believe...
'Dead Poets' Society' (en Anglais). Mais Oui. EXCELLENT movie by any  
standard.

About the YouTube link of Robin it is very funny :) and not  far from 
reality so I can only demand it to be logic (I am just looking around  to see if 
I have a camera pointed to me ;)...OOPS ! Gulp ! Aïe! MY WEBCAM  !!!).
I laugh (and concur) because I think someone like him finds the 'general'  
consensus and observances about different cultures and their habits and then 
 pokes fun, as he does at us Americans too. We need to laugh at our own 
foibles  once in a while.

My  reaction is perhaps not the general view since the other French on 
HARP-L may  not agree with me but I guess that we never finished our revolution 
that we  made very few years after the americans (In France come and visit 
the Galery  Lafayette has well, very good shop ;)...). We love our liberty as 
well (yes we  have the small statue of the big...),

Agreed. I found it tres interesting that France has a smaller replica of  
the Statue facing west towards our own 'Lady of the harbour' - the one 
created  by and given to us by France. In New York our much-revered Statue of 
Liberty is  very appreciated - and the fact that our own basic freedoms are 
based on the  same precepts of: Liberté, égalité et fraternité. 

in arts  as well... Arts is for me a way to preserve its own way to think 
against one  world unique based on the same recipe of one ingredient ! Small 
old country ;)  with moud :) !... I auto sencure myself because I am 
talkative and subject is  vast ;) and HARP-L is about music and harmonicas

Every so often others have brought 'other' subjects here as well.  
Music-related, generally. As long as we meander back to the subject of  harmonicas. 
;) In fact, I find the fairness of equality and brother(and  sister)hood 
exactly what I like best about SPAH and the other harmonica  conventions. How 
else could a young woman (such as Susan Sauter) have been  declared 'World 
Champion' in 2009 competing against predominantly men in what  has long been 
considered a male-dominated profession?

Elizabeth, If Guillaume could read I am sure he would  appreciate. I like 
him as well. I also see the programs of various festivals  around the world, 
and I would really apreciate to come sometime to the SPAH  really !!!... 
His ears might be burning (an English expression when one is being talked  
about). :) You would be made very welcome. We've had many other 'foreign'  
visitors to SPAH who had terrific fun when they came. I hope eventually you 
do  manage the trip. The music of many of your countrypeople is very 
appreciated by  me and so many others: jjmilteau, Olivier Ker Ourio, Michel Herblin, 
Rachelle  Plas, Paul Lassey, etc. It IS a small world (un petit monde) and 
we are more  alike than we are different.

Sometime the remarks I could make on the forums that if I  appreciate the 
blues; it occupies more than 75% of subjects and artists when  there is 
classical, jazz, Pop, Rock, Soul, Rap, etc. 

I'm personally not solely a Blues fan either, although I appreciate many of 
 the artists who are. My primary interest though is in Jazz, Soul, Rock - 
even  Country and folk, none of which are talked about as much as blues. But 
perhaps  if each person does mention their music preferences more often 
those who are  blues-centric will realize their interests are not all there is 
about harmonica  playing and understand that there's room for everyone. 

Today I was thinking about a subject of last week "The  harmonicas 
contests": That is for me more often something to opposite the  Harmonica players 
more than keeping a spirit of communion in music...of  sharing, learning from 
each others with all the rich attitudes. 
Agree

And  despite of that, I love going to Trossingen and see the Harmonica 
World  championship for all the great players, when I can. If Harmonica contest 
could  only be for everyone a way to define some point to reach, to learn 
again,  improve oneself and never see the other has the concurrent (to 
eliminate ?)  then perhaps just at this time I would wake up and realize that I was 
just  sleeping :) ...

I watched 4 videos about Trossingen and came away with an entirely  
different understanding of it. Separately from the 'competitions', I think a lot  
of those who go have a similar feeling as those people who come to SPAH. If 
you  listen to those who were discussing (on video) the 'playing in corners 
of the  Hotel' (Jerry Portnoy for one) and the videos catching people playing 
anywhere  and everywhere, you'll see exactly what makes SPAH as well such a 
fun place to  be. It's primarily about coming together to enjoy hearing 
other people play;  enjoying the camaraderie of playing together and of making 
friends who share the  same love for the harmonica and attitudes and 
feelings as yourself. 

I now have a much better comprehension of the competitions and Trossingen  
and am glad I saw those videos. It's making me far more inclined to want to  
visit Trossingen (and Hohner) one of these years during the festival.

World Harmonica Festival - Trossingen, 2009

Part 1

_http://www.youtube.ug/user/HohnerHMI#p/u/34/DUeO-0vYQeg_ 
(http://www.youtube.ug/user/HohnerHMI#p/u/34/DUeO-0vYQeg) 

Part 2

_http://www.youtube.ug/user/HohnerHMI#p/u/35/j_Hr7CMvq30_ 
(http://www.youtube.ug/user/HohnerHMI#p/u/35/j_Hr7CMvq30) 

Part 3

_http://www.youtube.ug/user/HohnerHMI#p/u/36/9trn5cC2msY_ 
(http://www.youtube.ug/user/HohnerHMI#p/u/36/9trn5cC2msY) 

Part 4

_http://www.youtube.ug/watch?v=mUZb69wTLOA&feature=related_ 
(http://www.youtube.ug/watch?v=mUZb69wTLOA&feature=related) 

About Winslow Yerxa :For me the book  he wrote about the harmonica, 
translated after in French (with some adaptation  for Europe scene) by Jean-Jacques 
Milteau...This book is the very best I know  about harmonica :) ...
It IS. I have a copy. Excellent book.

I never  went to SPAH, but one day I come, so I am not a member so I can 
not vote...But  anyway sounded to me as a good surprise.

Patrice
I realize you're not a SPAH member - I added the 'tag-line' for those SPAH  
members who might not remember to pay their Annual dues so they can vote.  
Winslow is a very valued member of our community and someone I see as the  
perfect person to take over from Tom Stryker.

Best to you, Patrice,

Elizabeth

'Get out the Vote -  Winslow Yerxa for President of  SPAH'